Broken Promises
by niightowl
Summary: Originally called "Birchripple's Memories," I have now decided to make this a book of broken promises. Because, you know, they're easy and rather fun for me to make. Go behind the scenes and discover how did Shadowedskies start a battle with his love? Why did Undyingshadow kill Flowerpelt? Why does Maplefur seek revenge? And what do these have to do with broken promises? Find out!
1. The Last Patrol

**Why Flowerpelt Never Came Back**

My mom was getting up out of the nursery. I stirred, then yawned. I woke up, then saw her walking out of the den. I felt panicked.

"Mama! Wait! Where are you going?" She smiled.

"I'm going on a patrol."

"But I'm too young for you to leave me!" I wailed. She walked back, and sat by my side, wrapping her tail around me.

"It's only a patrol, love. I'll be fine."

"But what if something happens to you! I'm only three moons old!" I buried my nose in her black and white fur. I remembered all that the apprentices had said. If I was a bad kit, my mommy would just disappear. True, now that I think back, the apprentices always loved teasing the kits. It was Cedarpaw who started it. I think he was annoyed at my being too scared to go in the woods. Literally. I was scared of the badgers and foxes they had talked about, so I wouldn't have gone one pawstep out of the camp, even if I'd tried. He was a bit upset that he had to clean my kit-muck, I guess. But he was pretty good-natured. I blinked, and listened to what my mother said next.

"I'll be back. You can be right here. Right next to me again. Nothing will get you." My mind flashed back to what happened to Acornkit and Petalkit. I whimpered.

"But- but what about what happened to Petalkit and-?"

"Shhh, shhh," she soothed, "You'll be fine. I'll be back, you see" I paused at this.

"You promise?" She walked to the entrance of the nursery, and I started whimpering again. "Mama?" She turned around, a sad-looking smile on her face.

"I promise."

* * *

She never came back to give me another hug again. Never another nuzzle. When she went on that patrol, little did she know that it was the last patrol of her life. She never came back. Her body was there, sure enough, but her life-blood was in its true home, Starshine.

Her spirit still walks in my dreams, giving me hope and guidance. But every time I see her, my heart breaks, and time I remember those times we had together. Those three, few, short moons. Then, it all faded away.

I only had my father left. I had his green eyes, they said, but also my mother's white pelt.

She would live on forever... They said... Forever...

In me.


	2. A Promise Broken

**Why Shadowedskies Started a Battle**

I rubbed against her. This felt so good, but it was so bad. Why did I feel this way? I knew we were never meant for each other, but still... the thought of not having Lightningstrike was unbearable. Why did we have to be in different Clans?

"We can't do this anymore," I whispered in her ear. She shot me a glare.

"It's ok, Shadowedskies! We'll be fine. They'll never find out." I choked back a cry of rage.

"You know we could be BANISHED if they find out?" I hissed, "I'd have to leave my Clan! My friends!"

"It's too late," she looked down at her paws, "I'm going to-"

"Have KITS?" My eyes widened in shock, "But-" my mind flashed back to the moon we had first met, then to one moon ago. Was it really then? She had made an excuse that she was going on a late patrol, but... She nodded mutely.

"I think I can say that Goldenbird-"

"GOLDENBIRD?!" I yowled, "That kit of a fox?! He doesn't look like me at all!"

She snorted, "At least I can say then that they're not half-Clan!" I narrowed my eyes, and my tail whipped angrily as I thought this over.

"Fine. But you must make me one promise."

"What?"

"Promise me that you'll never tell them who fathered them. Promise?" She paused, thinking.

"I promise."

* * *

But Lightningstrike never really did keep her promise.

Many moons later, after she had given life to three kits, Mistykit, Rainkit, and Greenkit, Mistykit and Rainkit, now Mistypaw and Rainpaw, disappeared. In anger, LightningClan accused RainClan, who denied keeping or taking the apprentices.

Then, a battle ensued. In that battle, Shadowedskies, Mistypaw, and Rainpaw all breathed their last. Lightningstrike survived to tell Greenpaw with her dying breath who his true father was. He felt uneasy, but somehow had always knew that Goldenbird never really loved him.

On that day, covered by the mists of time, Lightningstrike broke her promise.


	3. The Shadow's Promise

**Why Undyingshadow Fled the Light**

I crouched low, and flicked my tail. Three other warriors stood by my side, Brightpelt, a new warrior she-cat, Frostheart, a senior warrior tom, and Echoflight, another new warrior she-cat. I was nervous with these two new warriors on their first mission. What if they messed it up? Their first assignment? I growled under my breath, if they did, I would have to talk with Shadowstar. Then he would make sure that they would clean out the nursery and elder's den for a moon. Five cats came our way, and I twitched my ear excitedly. Our information was right! They were stupid enough to come this way. One, an orange and striped tom wandered away from the group's sight.

"Flowerpelt!" one cat called, "I think I-" I gave the signal, and I pounced on him.

"Prepare to say goodbye to what you know!" I snarled. I was TRYING to be quiet. But no, we just had to attract the whole patrol.

"Mistflower! No!" he pleaded. Odd. Wasn't Mistflower a med-? A black-and-white she-cat jumped on me.

"Let him go!" she yowled. I bit at her throat, and I grazed it, but not enough to kill her. While she staggered before me, blind and deaf with pain, I pounced. I scratched her sides, and attacked her within an inch of her worthless life.

"LightningClan, retreat!" A brown tom yowled. I smiled menacingly, and nodded with my head to home, and the direction of the stream.

Brightpelt and Echoflight talked nervously. As we came to the stream, I noticed how it had swelled. It did that during the season of New Growth. I lay down beside it, and dipped my muzzle into the water. I came back, dripping, then glanced at my paws. They were covered with blood. I curled my claws, and the memory of that she-cat came back to me. I drew back my lips into a snarl. One day, I would kill LightningClan. All of them, from the oldest elder, to the youngest kit. A vision flashed before me, it was my mate, Snowclaw, and our three kits, Fernkit, Beekit, and Riverkit. I closed my eyes to the memory, and Snowclaw's words echoed in my head.

"Undyingshadow! Tell me, do you promise?" she whispered in my head.

"Yes, Snowclaw" I hissed out loud, "I promise."

* * *

My promise, I longed to keep it. I really did. I wish I could have slain all of LightningClan with one blow of my claws. They had killed her and my kits during a raid on our SnakeClan camp, and I vowed I would kill the one who killed them. I would make sure that their death was slow and painful.

I would kill Skystar.


	4. A Star Extinguished

**Hi, guys. Someone flamed this book as well. Same person, different name. But because I ranted in my other book, I will not bother to do so here. Anyway, on with the story!**

 **Please note, this was before the Warrior's Code was fully developed in the five Clans. And it will be a bit... gory? Bloody? Sad? Maybe all? Read, and judge for yourself.**

* * *

My voice purred, and I heard an echo. Well, SOMETHING, but not quite. It was more low-pitched, but I didn't care. I glanced nervously across the moonlight clearing, and was satisfied that it was only me and my mate. I stepped into the clearing, shivering at the frost that covered the ground and plants. I listened, quietly, and heard only the river. And possibly a breath or two?

"Frostheart?" I whispered.

"Yes, Silverleaf?" I sighed with relief.

"Thank goodness... What took you so long?" We met in the clearing we always had. Same time, same place. But Frostheart had always been late lately.

"Busy, love. I have a Clan to feed, you know."

"How IS SnowClan?"

"We are doing- well..." he hesitated. I knew he wasn't telling the whole truth. But I didn't really care. We sat in silence for a bit. I sighed wistfully, and looked at the light brown warrior beside me. I loved every inch of him, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't fall out of love with his bright blue eyes, or white paws.

"Why must love stay inside one boundary? Why can't it cross borders?" I wondered out loud.

Frostheart shrugged, then started licking my ear. A crunch was heard, and a fern crumbled with a resounding sound. Three sets of steps seemed to echo behind us. We both froze, and broke apart from each other. I shivered due to the cold. The moonlight seemed to march harshly on my dappled silver pelt.

"Because only a TRAITOR'S love does that!" a cold voice spat. I turned around behind me, and stared, horrified, into the cold brown eyes of Wolfstar. Two more cats emerged, Nightsky and Storm. Nightsky lunged, then pounced on Frostheart, and they started rolling. Rolling... Towards the river! No!

"No," I murmured, "This can't be happening."

"Oh yes," Wolfstar snarled, "This IS happening." He lunged at me, and I was filled with rage. What had I ever done? What did I ever do to him? He dug his sharp claws into my back, drawing blood, and scarring me forever, if I came out alive.

"This isn't in the Code!" I cried.

"But it will be now!" I drew back my lips into a growl. I would never forgive him. NEVER! Then, Storm walked in front of me as Wolfstar pinned me down, and dropped a mutilated furry bundle before me. Its ginger fur was hanging in strips, and a familiar scent... Flightkit... No! NO! This couldn't be happening...

Wolfstar's eyes seemed to turn red with bloodlust and rage. I heard a splash by the riverside, and a triumphant howl from Nightsky. Tears coursed freely down my silvery cheeks. All my world... It was crumbling beneath my paws. How did I not ever see this coming?

"You have broken the Code! And now you and your mate deserve to DIE!" He dug his claws into my neck.

"Flightkit... Frostheart..." I sobbed, "No... Flight... kit..." And all faded to blackness.

* * *

 **Ok. Sad. But I had no idea what else to do. And I write usually when I'm in a bad mood, because writing cheers me up. So therefore, I make sad stories. And you should review. Maybe. Whatever! I hope you liked it!**


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